Nobody foresaw what happened to Virgil Abloh except his family members. The fashion industry was shocked to hear of the passing of one of the individuals who defined moving up the ladder in all its glory. Abloh passed away in late November 2021 after battling rare cancer called cardiac angiosarcoma. But, while we are celebrating his life here, we cannot but mention that he got to this platform via one of the most ingenious artists, Kanye West. Kanye West gave him the platform to express his fashion ingenuity. However, Virgil Abloh parents played a role in helping him reach the status he attained. How? This is what we intend to cover here.
It is one thing to be given an opportunity; it is another to seize that opportunity by the scruff of the neck. This is what Virgil did, and the results are there to show for it. Being the most popular black executive on the LVMH team is incredible. Not only that, Abloh is credited as the founder of Off White, a global brand that has gained acceptance by millions of people. While we will talk about what the fashion icon has accomplished, we will focus more on Virgil Abloh parents.
Who is Virgil Abloh?
Virgil Abloh was born in Rockford, Illinois, on September 30, 1980. His parents raised him in Rockford. He had his high school education at the Boylan Catholic High School, where he graduated in 1995. Abloh further earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, he received his Master of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology in 2006. It was while he was studying architecture that he started to design T-shirts. Meanwhile, his mother, a seamstress, taught him how to sew. Then, as fate would have it, Abloh met with Kanye West while showcasing his designs at a Chicago print shop, and the rest they say is history.
Virgil Abloh’s Career
After he graduated from the university, Abloh got an internship at Fendi with Kanye West, a classmate of his, in 2009. Both of them developed a working relationship, and in no time, Abloh caught the eye of Louis Vuitton CEO Michael Burke, who would later sign him on. In 2010, West signed Abloh as the creative director of his creative agency dedicated to his mother, Donda.
In 2013, Virgil Abloh found what would be his first real fashion house, Off-White. The company based in Italy received much help from investors who bought into the fashion statement Abloh was trying to create. The brand became a hit in that year and even in the following year after. In 2014, Virgil launched the women’s brand. His brand was chosen as a finalist for the LVMH Prize, one of the biggest fashion industry prizes. Virgil worked with a lot of brands, including the global brand Nike. He is credited as being the artistic director of many of the company’s best-selling sneakers. The genius also partnered with Swedish furniture company IKEA to make designs for apartments and houses.
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Who Are Virgil Abloh Parents?
Virgil was born to New and Eunice Abloh. Both emigrated from Ghana years before his birth. Virgil attributed his venture into the arts as a result of his parents’ influence. Virgil’s father worked in a painting company as a manager, while his mother was an accomplished seamstress. Virgil Abloh parents have another child aside from him, Edwina Abloh.
As a child, Virgil was into skateboarding, DJing, and soccer. However, if someone had told him that he would be an art connoisseur in the future, he probably would have left a punch on the person’s face. Growing up, Virgil wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. However, when his parents asked him to pursue a career in engineering and architecture, he couldn’t resist. Fortunately, he discovered that he was artsier than he gave himself credit for on one of his many DJing sessions.
Was Virgil Abloh Married?
Virgil Abloh had a wife till his demise. He married Shannon Abloh in 2009. The two dated for a while before finally deciding that they would spend the rest of their lives together. The couple has two children; Grey Abloh and Lowe Abloh.
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How Did Virgil Abloh Die?
Not until his demise, not many know he had a rare kind of cancer, Cardiac angiosarcoma. He had his first diagnosis in 2019. Although unfortunately, he died on November 28, 2021, his wife, children, and parents survived. Tributes have poured in over his death. Many people believed he lived a good life and set the pace in the world of fashion. Indeed, he will be missed.
Conclusion
It must have hit Virgil Abloh parents hard to learn of their son’s demise. It is not anything good for parents to outlive their kids. Hopefully, his family will have the fortitude to bear the loss.